State of Maryland

A Planner Lead/Advanced is the lead level or advanced level of professional work in the field of land use, environmental, community development or transportation planning.  Employees in this classification conduct research and prepare analyses, studies or background reports on issues regarding growth and demographic trends and projections and best practices on state, regional and local plans.  Employees in this classification that perform advanced level duties specialize in such areas as physical design, survey and research, or community relations work.  Employees in this classification that perform lead level duties assign, review and approve the work of and train lower-level Planners and planning consultants.

Employees in this classification receive general supervision from a Planner Supervisor or other designated administrator.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology. The use of this method involves comparing assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria defined in the Nature of Work and Example of Work sections of the class specification.

The Planner Lead/Advanced is differentiated from the Planner III in that the Planner  Advanced performs the most complex planning projects as the sole planner on a multi-disciplinary team or as the sole planning advisor for a cabinet department or Planner Lead assigns, reviews and approves the work of and trains lower-level Planners, while the Planner III performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.  The Planner Lead/Advanced is differentiated from the Planner Supervisor in that the Planner Supervisor has supervisory responsibility for lower-level Planners.

Prepares and researches various phases of planning projects related to the development and use of land, water, transportation, community or natural resources by obtaining and analyzing information concerning demographic, socio-economic, political, cultural, geographic and land-use trends;

Advises and assists community, regional, and State planning and development agencies and organizations in the technical aspects of various planning and development projects;

Conducts meetings with public officials, local, regional and State planning commissions, civic groups, community agencies, associations and general public to initiate comprehensive planning programs and to provide advice and technical assistance in the development, review and administration of smart growth plans and urban renewal;

Participates in planning, promoting, scheduling, and coordinating programs designed to assist subdivisions of the State in initiating and executing comprehensive planning programs;

Organizes conferences and seminars to present, discuss and resolve issues regarding the laws and regulations in zoning, urban renewal, housing, transportation, natural or and community resources;

Performs complex assignments in connection with State and federal planning programs;

Plans and prepares books or manuals on various accomplishments and objectives of community development and planning;

Provides technical advice and guidance to members of a team engaged in a specific planning project;

Collects, creates, edits, maintains, analyses, distributes and plot GIS data and performs mapping and data analysis tasks including producing graphic and tabular data;

May assign and review work of lower-level Planners;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of the principles, practices, procedures and objectives of local, regional, federal, State and transportation planning programs and for compiling various planning data;

Knowledge of the social and economic objectives of planning and land-use, in relation to natural resources, community resources and transportation resources;

Knowledge of the methods and procedures available in preparing a plan for the maximum efficient use of available resources;

Knowledge in conducting mapping research and maintaining and updating databases using GIS computer aided drafting and other software;

Skill in producing, collecting and analyzing research data;

Skill in drafting, engineering designs and principles concerning the preparation of comprehensive planning reports, studies, subdivision plans, zoning maps and related documents;

Skill in performing complex statistical, economic, and planning research;

Ability to prepare and present clear and concise reports;

Ability to plan and make sound recommendations;

Ability to give advice, guidance and supervision to a group of employees engaged in one phase of a planning project;

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers, community representatives and the general public.

Education:   A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university that includes 30 credit hours in Planning, Environmental Science, Environmental Studies, Architecture, Public Administration, Engineering, Geography, Landscape Architecture, Economics, Public Finance, Political Science, Sociology, Regional Science, Information Technology or Urban Affairs.

Experience: Three years of experience in research and planning projects related to the development and use of land, water, transportation, community or natural resources by assisting in obtaining, analyzing and conducting research on demographic, socio-economic, political, cultural, geographic or land-use trends.

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute the possession of a Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in one of the specified educational fields for one year of the required experience.*

2. Candidates may substitute the possession of an additional Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in one of the specified educational fields for one additional year of the required experience.*

3. Candidates may substitute the possession of a Doctorate degree from an accredited college or university in one of the specified educational fields for two years of the required experience.*

*Two years is the maximum number of years that may be substituted by education for the required experience.

4. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a commissioned officer in Logistics, Urban Planning, Architect, Geospatial Intelligence Analyst or Cryptologic classifications; or Logistics, Urban Planning or Architect specialty codes in the Architect field of work, on a year-for-year basis, for the required experience and education.